JC Newman

October 22, 2017

Esteban Carreras Mr. Brownstone Speed Ball (5 x 54)










Video review HERE.



(Description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)
Craig Cunningham’s Esteban Carreras has quietly been becoming popular in many retail humidors. This year, he and his company introduced a Connecticut Broadleaf offering known as “Mr. Brownstone”.

In addition to a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, the cigar incorporates Nicaraguan binder and fillers. It is being launched in three sizes, reach in 20 count boxes.

Mr. Brownstone is typically a term used to describe Heroin. The vitola names (Speed Ball, Smack, and Main Line) are also slang expressions related to heroin.


Blend Profile
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (Tabacalera Carreras)


Vitolas Available
Speed Ball Robusto: 5 x 54 REVIEWED TODAY
Smack: 6 x 52
Main Line Sixty: 5 x 60



The cigar is almost covered with bands, a plastic sheath, and a cloth band at the foot. Once removed, the cigar is a dark brown and very dense feeling.





The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors were an earthy coffee, chocolate, light dry cedar, and a touch of brown sugar. There was black pepper noted at a 7 rating. 




Close to 2 inches in (37 minutes) the cigar is burning very slowly. There are now quite a bit of creamy nutmeg notes. They give the cigar a heavy vegetable flavor. There are still chocolate and cedar notes with a little brown sugar. But the heavy nutmeg notes are overwhelming. The coffee is still earthy but it has tone down a bit. The creaminess in the cigar is 100% from the nutmeg. The heavy nutmeg notes detract from the sweeter flavors, which were not that sweet to begin with. The cigar is a low grade medium to full bodied. The finish is a sweet cream with very little lingering pepper. 




At the midpoint (57 minutes) the flavors have settled down. There are quite a bit of earthy coffee and dark chocolate notes, quite a bit of creamy nutmeg, a minor amount of cedar and brown sugar notes, and the pepper is unchanged. This is a very dark noted cigar with heavy nutmeg and minor sweetness. The cigar is still medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged with hardly any lingering black pepper. 




The cigar lasted 1 hour 51 minutes! That's amazing for a 5" robusto. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the cigar for that duration. At the end the earthy coffee and dark chocolate notes were the predominant flavors. The nutmeg toned down somewhat to a manageable range. The sweeter flavors of cedar and brown sugar were barely detectable. The pepper, finish, and strength did not change. Personally, I did not enjoy this cigar. But, if these flavors described sound like something you like then it might be for you.


Score: 87


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